Reflection on Grace, do you know Her?

“Amazing Grace” is one of our most beloved hymns, written by the English poet and clergyman John Newton. Containing a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of sins committed

“Amazing Grace” is one of the most recognizable songs in the English-speaking world.

What is Grace?

Grace absorbs this world’s hostility and doubt yet responds with patience and forgiveness.

Max De Pree the CEO of Herman Miller ,,,tells a story from his own experience that vividly demonstrates the power of a literal, physical touch of grace.

Soon after De Pree’s married daughter became pregnant, her husband moved out and abandoned her so she was alone when the baby was born about four months prematurely.

De Pree recalls, “I went to the hospital to see my new grandchild for the first time, and there in that incubator was a tiny little baby, about the size of my hand, with wires running from his body to a lot of monitors and machines.”As he was watching his grandchild silently struggle for life, the senior nurse went to him and said,

“Mr .De Pree, that baby’s father is not here, so from the next several months, you will have to be the baby’s surrogate father. Here’s what I want you to do.

When you visit the baby, go to the incubator, put your hand through the cuffs, and stroke the child. As you touch the child with your hands, talk to the child.

It’s very important that he experiences your voice and your touch together.”

Voice and touch – together.

The story of grace is not only told in words.

Our voice must be clear and our touch must be real.

Our touch cannot tell the Story, only our voice can do that.

The touch of grace makes the story of grace come alive.

Shortly after the Madrid train bombings of March 2004, Bono and French music journalist Michka Assayas had a series of conversations.

I would like to read to you what transpired in this interview.

This is Bono’s view on Grace.

It’s a mind-blowing concept that the God who created the universe might be looking for company, a real relationship with people, but the thing that keeps me on my knees is the difference between Grace and Karma.

You see, at the centre of all religions is the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics––every action is met by an equal or an opposite one.

And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that “as you reap, you will sow” stuff.

Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I’ve done a lot of stupid stuff.I’d be in big trouble if Karma was going to finally be my judge. It doesn’t excuse my mistakes, but I’m holding out for Grace. I’m holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don’t have to depend on my own religiosity.

When I look at the Cross of Christ, what I see up there is all my sin and everybody else’s. So I ask myself a question a lot of people have asked:

Who is this man? And was He who He said He was, or was He just a religious nut?

And there it is, and that’s the question. And no one can talk you into it or out of it.

U2 wrote an amazing song on ‘Grace’

Grace, she takes the blame

She covers the shame

Removes the stain

It could be her name

Grace, it’s the name for a girl

It’s also a thought that changed the world

And when she walks on the street

You can hear the strings

Grace finds goodness in everything

Grace, she’s got the walk

Not on a ramp or on chalk

She’s got the time to talk

She travels outside of karma

She travels outside of karma

When she goes to work

You can hear her strings

Grace finds beauty in everything

Grace, she carries a world on her hips

No champagne flute for her lips

No twirls or skips between her fingertips

She carries a pearl in perfect condition

What once was hurt

What once was friction

What left a mark

No longer stings

Because Grace makes beauty

Out of ugly things

Grace makes beauty out of ugly things

Poppy by Joy Marshall

Everybody needs Grace

Everybody has a story to tell

Everybody has a wound to be healed and everybody wants to believe that God is real

Grace shakes our conventions with its insistence on getting close to people and touching them with mercy and hope.

Grace forgives the unfaithful spouse.

Grace forgives the racist, the child abuser.

Grace loves today’s AIDS-ridden addict as much as the tax collector of Jesus’ day.

Grace accepts the homosexual and the marginalised.

True grace is shocking, scandalous. Without Grace there would be no second chances.

Grace takes the blame covers the shame and removes the stain.

Grace truly is amazing.

Love Lisa Hunt-Wotton

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